Petaquilla Mines Opposed

PANAMA

Petaquilla Mines Opposed

La Prensa -- Panamá, 31 May 2007

By Edilsa González and Hermes Sucre Serrano
PENONOMÉ, Coclé, Panamá
www.prense.com

Around a hundred indigenous persons and campesinos marched yesterday through the streets of Penonomé to express once again their public opposition to the mining project Petaquilla. The demonstrators blocked a portion of the Pan-American highway for a period of twenty minutes, to denounce what they consider to be an attack against the lives and ecology of the region. Alberto Miranda Ábrego, president of the New Petaquilla Group, said that inhabitants of the region, primarily indigenous persons, cannot use the water of the river because to do so produces allergies and other sicknesses. He denounced the devastation of the forests and acts of intimidation on part of the mine workers, who have told residents that they must leave their homes as they are no longer owners of their lands.

The mining project on Petaquilla mountain, located between the provinces of Coclé and Colón, is one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world. The company is Canadian-Panamanian. Julio Yao, president of the Peace and Justice Service says that the communities affected by the firm Minera Petaquilla S.A. have decided on their own rights and in citizen assembly, to close the Petaquilla mines.

Porfirio Sánchez, a campesino leader, manifested his firm decision to continue fighting against mining development in the area, as he does not agree with the destruction of the land and the sources of water upon which the communities depend for their lives. During the demonstration, the leaders of various communities also announced their solidarity with the groups who oppose the hunting of dolphins and the installation of a dolphin breeding project in Panamá.

José Gabriel Carrizo, legal advisor for the company Minera Petaquilla S.A. sated that the company is complying with all of the recommendations of mitigation under Panamanian mining laws. However, the director of the National Environmental Authority, Ligia Castro, told La Prensa that the institution has an administrative case outstanding against Minera Petaquilla for violations of environmental legislation. "This process is in the phase of proof and allegations," she stated. During an inspection carried out at the mines this past April 25, the ANAM identified that clear cutting operations, removal of vegetation cover and sedimentation and filling of creeks and other damages had occurred.